Angela Merlano is an award-winning dancer and choreographer from Denver, Colorado. Born and raised in the suburbs, Angela’s love of dance began as she trained in ballet until elementary school. She rediscovered her love for dance through cultural forms, including oriental dance, samba, Tahitian, and folkloric dance. Angela will be graduating with a BA as a communication studies major and a dance minor. Her current activities include: performing professionally, choreographing, and teaching with Studio Colombia; dancing across the United States at multiple institutions and events; organizing her live Middle Eastern music and dance event series with her band, Orientale, with cultural representation and excellence at the forefront; and participating in dance events worldwide.